[WASHINGTON, D.C.] — Combat Veteran and U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) questioned top national security experts at her first Senate Armed Services Committee hearing today on the challenges China and Russia pose to the United States as rising powers. Evaluating the most recent National Defense Strategy, Duckworth asked if the U.S. military’s transportation and logistics systems are prepared to support great power competition as well as what investments the Department of Defense can make to ensure logistical readiness. Duckworth also asked whether the U.S. should be doing more to respond to China’s naval capabilities. Video of her questions during the hearing is available here.

“I’m pleased the US is able to agilely move our forces to areas where we need to sustain them, but we need to ensure our current U.S. military transportation and logistics systems are able to support great power competition in a contested environment,” Duckworth said. “We also must ensure that the Department of Defense has the resources it needs to ensure logistical readiness and that our military has the resources it needs to be able to execute the National Defense Strategy.”

The Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) has jurisdiction over the nation’s common defense, military operations, servicemember pay and retirement, military family benefits and the selective service system. SASC also oversees the Department of Defense, the United States Armed Services and several other national security-related issues at home and abroad. Duckworth served on the U.S. House Armed Services Committee for four years before joining the Senate.

The United States Transportation Command (USTRANSCOM), which provides transportation support for the Department of Defense in times of peace and war, is based at Scott Air Force Base in Illinois.